FINCHforum

It is with a sad heart, I found my best breeder YS Star hen dead on the bottom of the cage this morning. Her name was Sweetpea and she seemed fine last night. She was sitting on the perch and eating etc. When, I picked her up, I noticed an egg size amount of red/brown dried material, blood?, egg cracked as hatched or something else?

I had just reuinited her with her mate, after about 4-6 weeks of a break from breeding. They were in the cage about two weeks, for this cycle of breeding. I checked the nest and it was full of six eggs, mostly fertile, but DIS. Several were pecked at, by one of the YF Stars I assume.

Here are some phots, in tribute to Sweetpea with her mate Oliver and a few of their babies. Rest in Peace Sweetie!

So very sorry for your loss

A few pics of Fledges from Sweetpea and Oliver. Poor Oliver keeps calling for Sweetpea. They were together for about two years.

Sorry about Sweatpea. It's especially nerve-racking to find them like that when they've showed no symptoms the night before. Bob

So sorry for your loss Deborah. It is never easy to loose one you have had for so long.

so sorry deborah

So very sorry for your loss, Deborah. I would guess from the photos that she suffered a prolapsed cloaca, which is almost always fatal.

Deborah, I'm so sorry about Sweetpea. Its so hard to lose one, but even more so when it's so unexpected. These little guys sure do fill our hearts and leave such a hole when they go.

Awwww.... so sorry, Deborah. Sweet Pea was beautiful. RIP little ladybird...

Sally wrote: So very sorry for your loss, Deborah. I would guess from the photos that she suffered a prolapsed cloaca, which is almost always fatal.

Thank you everyone! This was bitter sweet, as she obviously had a major problem. The ones that really get me are the totally unknown, without any explantion deaths, cuz be can't figure what to change or look for in the future. Sweetpea must have had something as Sally mentioned above.

Sally, what is a prolapsed cloaca? Is this something I could not prevent or is it related to the egg binding problem? Thanks.

So sorry for your loss I am glad however, that you were at least able to get some young from this beautiful hen

finchmix22 wrote: Sally, what is a prolapsed cloaca? Is this something I could not prevent or is it related to the egg binding problem? Thanks.

Deborah, here is a link to an article that explains what it is and why it happens. And yes, it is usually related to egg binding. This is how I lost my one Purple Grenadier hen, and the prolapse in her case was at least twice the size of the one pictured, with much more tissue damage. Some people have managed to replace the tissue and save the hen, but that is the exception.

http://www.avianweb.com/Prolapse.htm

I'm so sorry to hear about Sweetpea. I have a bachelor group (2 male star finches, 1 male Zebbie, and a male canary) because I have lost several females to egg binding - and it hasn't mattered how much cuttlefish, grit, calcium additive and love I've given them. I had a little female Zebbie, Queenie, who I lost the second time after treatment. SHe was such a sweetie. Finches really do capture your heart! Best wishes for the future!

Thank you for the well wishes and thoughts for Sweetpea. I read the article Sally and I had no idea her cloaca was prolapsed. She acted just fine the night before. I had not sign she was feeling poorly at all. I wish I'd noticed something that was off and I would've given her a dose of calcium by beak and put her in a hospital cage with humidity and heat. Well, I'll be more aware is another hen has a problem.

There might have been nothing to notice the night before. When I lost my hen, she was just fine the day before. I did try all the first aid stuff, including trying to replace the prolapse, but she had too much trauma.